The next morning, at the Konoha Ninja Academy—Elite Class, Year 1.
Iruka hadn't arrived yet, and the classroom buzzed with restless energy.
"Hey, heard the news? Teacher Kazama's in the hospital."
"They say his sternum's shattered—multiple ribs broken."
"Ugh… that's brutal."
Sakura and Ino huddled with a gaggle of Kazama-sensei's fangirls, chattering away. Meanwhile, Sasuke and Hinata sat stiffly at their desks, expressions grim.
The boys, however, weren't as carefree.
Kiba gnawed on his pen cap, squinting at his notebook. "Shikamaru, this answer's wrong, isn't it?"
"I copied it from Ino's homework. Yawn~" Shikamaru slouched in his seat like a lazy old man, radiating exhaustion despite his age.
His peace lasted exactly two seconds.
"Choji—get your chip-greased hands OFF my notebook!"
"Sorry, Shikamaru… Hey, why isn't Naruto copying ours?"
Shikamaru shrugged. "He said he already finished."
Nearby, a group of boys whispered:
"Word is, that blind girl got put in our class!"
"No way. You think she'll beat us up? She's gotta be crazy violent!"
"Total monster…"
BAM!
Naruto slammed his fists on the desk and stood. The entire class turned to stare.
"Naruto, what's your problem?!" A tall boy—startled at first, then furious—glared at him.
Naruto met his gaze head-on. "Don't talk about Hikari like that."
He'd already figured it out: the girl who fought Kazama-sensei yesterday was the same Hikari he'd met at Ichiraku Ramen. Kind, gentle, mysterious—nothing like the brute they were describing. He wouldn't let anyone slander his friend.
"You asking for a beating?!" The taller boy and his lackeys surrounded Naruto, fists clenched—
—Until footsteps echoed outside.
"Teacher's coming!"
Like a switch flipped, everyone scrambled to their seats. The room fell dead silent.
Tap… tap…
The rhythmic sound of a blind cane tapped down the hallway. Naruto's heart inexplicably synced with the beats. He couldn't explain it—just like he couldn't explain why he'd bothered finishing his homework last night.
The door slid open.
Iruka-sensei entered first. Behind him, a silver-haired girl with a pink teddy bear backpack stepped in, cane in hand.
"Whoa… pretty."
"She's kinda cute!"
Murmurs rippled through the class. After hearing how she'd hospitalized Kazama-sensei, they'd expected some muscle-bound beast. Reality was… different.
Hikari ignored the whispers. Staring at these tiny, wide-eyed future legends gave her an odd thrill.
Iruka cleared his throat. "Settle down!"
Silence.
"Class, we have a new student today. Let's give her a warm welcome."
Clap clap clap—
"Hikari, would you introduce yourself?" Iruka smiled nervously. He'd heard about Kazama. If she could wreck a chunin, he wasn't risking it.
"Of course, sensei."
Her voice was soft—wind chimes on a summer breeze. Paired with her delicate features, Iruka's tension melted.
Such a gentle girl… Kazama must've provoked her!
Hikari turned to the class, smiling.
"My name is Hinode Hikari.
I specialize in taijutsu, love peace, and hate anything that disrupts it.
Favorite food: tomato and egg stir-fry.
Dream? To defeat a powerful foe… then live quietly.
Please treat me well."
Iruka clapped so hard his head bobbed. He could've cried. After dealing with this class's chaos, her normalcy felt surreal.
"She seems nice," Choji whispered.
"Yeah, cute," Kiba agreed.
Shikamaru stayed quiet. Something felt off about her—like a lion pretending to be housecat. If you looked close, its golden eyes were still watching… sizing you up.
He shuddered.
"Hikari, your seat is—"
Before Iruka could finish, she walked straight to the back-right desk—where a certain blond sat vibrating with excitement.
"Sensei, may I sit here?" She tapped the empty seat beside Naruto.
"Uh… sure."
By the time Iruka blinked, her bag was already there.
(…So much for gentle. Kazama, I take back my doubts.)
Hikari didn't care. Her "kindness" was just to blend in with these clan kids—not to play model student.
"Naruto-kun, we're desk mates now. Let's get along."
"H-Hikari-chan! Y-yeah! Let's!"
Naruto's face burned red. Hikari's smile deepened as her milky-white eyes locked onto his stomach—where faint red chakra seeped from the seal.
Inside her, deep blue chakra pulsed hungrily.
(The Nine-Tails… Just a few bites, and I'd reach Kage-level reserves.)
She swallowed hard.
The temptation was maddening.
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